The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has extended the deadline for the submission of applications and entries into the 2023 Talent Hunt through Hackathon to 30 September.
A statement by the Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, on Friday said the extension was to give ample time for more prospective and viable startups to tidy up their solutions in the required format for submission as well as enable more upcoming technology entrepreneurs to participate in the competition.
The statement described the talent hunt as one of the means through which the NCC gives concrete expression to its Strategic Vision Plan 2023–2025, by encouraging the development of new technologies and indigenous content through cutting-edge research to stimulate sustainable economic growth and development in Nigeria.
Consequently, the commission said it had invited the tech hubs and innovation-driven enterprises in the country to enrol their start-ups and their solutions in the third edition of the NCC Talent Hunt Research through a hackathon. It said the focus was on three thematic areas, such as blockchain-enabled data protection solutions for enhancing regulatory compliance; assistive technology solutions for the elderly and people with disabilities; and technology solutions for renewable energy in rural areas.
“The NCC Talent Hunt Research through Hackathon leverages emerging digital technologies to facilitate the development of home-grown innovative solutions and local content development in the telecommunications sector while fostering economic growth and social advancement in Nigeria”, the statement partly read.
